Crimson Clouds
by Badgerkatch
Summary: Uchiha Itachi flees Konoha now labeled a missing Nin,in search of more Life, and more power...the power that is the Akatsuki
1. Chapter 1: Blood Red

Crimson Clouds

I have often been one of those people who can't stand having holes in history…Especially when it has to do with some of my favorite guys!

Orochimaru for instance, and as I have said it is ALWAYS fun to write about psychopathic villains anyhow, now I turn my um…keyboard upon my other favorite from Naruto…Itachi! Yes Mr. Tall, dark and serious takes the stage as we travel with him, through his long journey to the Akatsuki.

Ch.1

Blood Red

The sun hung low in the red autumn sky… "Though not nearly as red" he thought "as the blood he had spilled the previous day before…the blood of his entire clan." Uchiha Itachi sat up from where he had rested from his journey away from Konoha where he knew they were looking for him and sighed, shielding his eyes from the rays of the sun…Ebony eyes that could on his whim; mirror the red in the sky. "Almost my entire clan" he murmured, getting up.

Itachi swiveled around on the bough of the large elm tree he had napped in and then smoothing back his long black hair into a tight pony tail and checking that his sword was in the correct place he stood and quickly undid the gengitsu that he had cast upon the tree so that any unlikely passerby that happened upon the tree would see just that, the tree…without him in it.

He as many others had been seduced by power and for him that power had a name. He walked leisurely through the woods that surrounded Konoha confidant that no one would be able to find him, now that he was this far out in the forest. He didn't know where he was going…but those people… he would find them …the organization called Akatsuki that had driven him so. He did however regret some things about destroying his clan…he couldn't see his little brother learn to hate him…and he hadn't thought of taking any of grandmother Hinoko's Meat pies along before he killed her…pity.

As he walked he stayed silent, listening, waiting, and then looking up from under his bangs his eyes once before a deep ebony black sharpened to a cold and calculating blood red, the Sharingan, his families only blood line limit…complete now with three swirling dots of heartlessness.

He had finally obtained his true power…now to learn how to use it…

And so he searched.

It had already been evening when he had awoken from his little nap in the tree and now, he noticed; the sun could barely give him enough light to see through the smudgy clump of tree's and bushes before him, he frowned.

"No matter" he murmured softly to himself and looked up to where the sun had turned over the rule of the sky to its sister the moon. He smiled a rare sight indeed… " then the moon shall be my guide" and with a graceful leap he leaped up and ran vertically up the trunk of a large tree in front of him until he stood upon the very tip of the tree and was shrouded in the moons light.

He stood there for a while and surveyed his surroundings, even IF there was a search party of ANBU…he had once been one and one of the best in fact…a genius had nothing to worry.

He looked to the right across a sea of trees and spotted a light some miles away from where he stood… "Someone lives in these woods?" he whispered " how…interesting" and without another word leapt from the tree top and free fell down and lightly dropped from one branch to another on his way to life…and death. He soon found the source of the light, a lantern on the dock of a small lake…and someone was sitting there... "but" he pondered as he slunk among the shadows " who the hell would sit by his lonesome…fishing…in the middle of the night" he grabbed the hilt of his sword, he could simply take the person and make him or her give him supplies, shelter for the night and some other crucial things he would need for his trip…and then kill the person…Or-…His thought was disturbed suddenly as he skidded to the left as a large fishing hook slammed into the trunk of the tree he had been standing under just as few seconds ago…his eyes widened as a gravely voice tinged with amusement rang out from the figure on the dock " its not nice to stare you know."

Itachi narrowed his eyes, now blinking back to the deep red of his sharingan sought the identity of the person who suddenly wasn't there anymore " shit" he snarled as he turned and zipped to the side as three tree's on his right were slashed in half, something that would have separated him the same way… " That's not very pleasant either" he yelled to the stranger and as he glimpsed the shadow of the person within the tree's leapt and twisted above the line of trees, meeting his attacker half way with his jitsu ready…he inhaled, giving the man long enough to figure out what was going to happen, but by then it would be too late " Katon, Goukakyu no jitsu!" he murmured and putting his right hand to his mouth let out a huge stream of fire and engulfed the figure and the tree tops below him in roaring flames.

He flipped down through the air and landed smoothly on the surface of the lake without causing so much as a ripple and waited to see what had become of his foe.

His eyes fairly glowed in the darkness, reflecting the moon in his red irises that swirled around in the vertigo of the situation. A minute had past and he had watched a body fall…but since he couldn't feel any chakra from this person, which he found rather un-nerving, he couldn't tell whether the stranger was dead or alive. And as it happens, his thoughts betrayed him as a drop of water dripped down his cheek…he froze and pulled out a kunai, it had started to rain.

The water wasn't coming from the sky normally as it should, he had guessed as much as the fires were instantly put out and the droplets themselves melded together about a foot from him and formed into a man around two heads higher than himself, draped in a long coat and complete with a huge sword slung upon his shoulder. The man sneered, his teeth saw toothed…like a shark…no in fact, all of him looked shark, he had blue tinged skin, gills and eerie white eyes, but even at this sight Itachi just stared at him as if he saw freaky fish men walk the streets every day, " and you are?" he whispered to the man.

The man suddenly shrugged and pointed his huge sword that was actually around Itachi's height itself at him and smiled again " Names Kisame…just a humble fisherman" Itachi glared " yeah sure…and by the way…remove that veil you have upon your chakra…far away I couldn't notice but now it bugs me." The man called Kisame looked at him strangely and then set his sword back at his side "you're pretty darn sharp for a ninja from the Uchiha clan" Itachi's eyes narrowed "there is no more Uchiha clan…"

That shut him up.

Itachi stood slowly and rubbed the creases under his eyes, caused by using his sharingan so often "so tell me then…are we to fight or what?"

Kisame chuckled which was a strange sound even to Itachi " you've got guts to talk to me like that…but then again" he eyed the boy in front of him " you are really strong…, what is a kid like you doing out here? And what do you mean there is no more Uchiha clan…hmmmm?"

His eyes glinted with interest…Itachi raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, adapting his bored tone of voice "I am the only survivor of the clan I slaughtered yesterday night…I am a wanted man and I am looking for some certain people" that should do it.

Instead of the guy backing off Kisame stood there, his smile gone but the hostility towards him as well. Itachi lowered his kunai a little as Kisame slowly extended his hand and stepped into the light of the moon…where upon his forehead the protector that marked him as a ninja, the light glittered off a ragged gash in the metal, he grinned and looked down at the boy " So Your Itachi,…well…welcome…to the Akatsuki."

Yaaaay first chapter, it is probably a little shorter than you'd like it to be but with school starting and all its good enough P

This is a new one for me because Itachi really doesn't say much in the anime, much less does he show up that often either sob fest anyhow I hope you like how he turned out. Right now he's around 17-18 years old…he just met Kisame and yeah lets find out what happens next eh? Oh and any suggestions, comments, concerns are always welcome! Review damnit! LOL

Badger ye later!


	2. Chapter 2: The Rings Shade

Ch.2

The Rings Shade

Itachi looked strangely at Kisame, stood silent for a moment and then considered the situation and calmly raised his hand and clasped Kisame's in return, noting the dark mauve color of his fingernails as he did so.

Kisame smiled his saw toothed smile and then releasing Itachi's hand from his crushing grip he began to rummage in his long cloak for something, " good, good…Sasori told me that you would come some time but I never really believed him…he's not always what he appears to be"

Itachi glowered but remembered to whom he was speaking and simply licked his lips and spoke softly " You, are an Akatsuki member?" he eyed the man in front of him who's appearance no longer bothered him as much considering where he had come from. He looked up at Kisame's slashed forehead protector noting the dusty symbol of the hidden village of mist.

Kisame finally crowed as he found what he was looking for and turned to answer his question "Well of course I am, didn't I tell you that before…oh, and here" Itachi had been shifting his sword to the other shoulder that was achingly sore when Kisame took a step forward and instead of simply giving him what he had found he hurled it at his head "you might need this" he chuckled.

Itachi turned around and then twisting on his right foot his left hand snaked out and snatched the object out of mid air. Kisame whistled "your pretty damn good…maybe Sasori WAS right after all…little brat" he muttered

Itachi opened his hand and in the palm laid a glittering silver ring.

He looked back up at the grinning Kisame who was now resting his own large sword on his broad shoulder; Itachi looked at it "**no,** I won't marry you…"

Kisame stared at him for a minute and then let out a huge guffaw and slapped him on the back which resulted in a glare from Itachi telling him that he didn't make such jokes often…he looked back as he turned the ring over in his hand "there is no stone" he murmured, noting the large indent in the metal. Kisame nodded and then in answer raised his left hand on which glittered a similar ring set with a golden stone and etched with a kanji that read 'west'.

He let Itachi stare at it for a long minute and then began to speak again "basically to get in you have to be tried by the chef, if you pass you are bestowed a cloak and a stone…if not" he drew his right thumb across his throat which didn't need any explaining, Itachi simply nodded.

Kisame looked down at the boy and then up at the sky, his little eyes gleaming hungrily "hey" he muttered, causing Itachi to raise one eyebrow "yes?" he muttered…Kisame looked back down at him and then turned and began to walk to the other side of the lack and back to the dock where he had been fishing " whadda you say to some baked fish before we head out again eh? I'm hungry and you probably are as well…come on!" he huffed, jumping on to the dock and gathering his bucket of fish with Itachi on his heels.

Itachi walked back with Kisame thinking to him self a little "why…if Kisame is in the Akatsuki which he claims to be, why is he like this?" No doubt about how strong he was. The two came to a lake side house and Kisame stopped at the door and fished out a key from a secret pocket in his robe and then as he opened the door he turned and told Itachi to wait a bit as he went inside.

He frowned, the only reason he put up with Kisame at all was because he was A. in the Akatsuki and B. he was the only way to get there and then C….He was company, it would be suspicious to go around alone as he was.

Kisame returned and slid the door open with one foot seeing as he was holding two large bloody bundles in his arms, he grunted and then threw them down near the heavy oak door. "There!" he crowed, ushering Itachi inside "knew I left them there for something." Itachi grimaced and then sat down at a table while Kisame went to prepare the fish.

Itachi sat and stared at the bodies, drowning out all sound in the bloody void of his mind, remembering every blood washed detail of how he had killed his clan, his family…and yet, a image of his little brother came to his mind as well but he pushed it out of the way and looked closer at the wounds, his eyes now back to the red of his sharingan as he noticed, the two were of the same family, father and son if he wasn't mistaken by their looks, the wounds were made by a very sharp saw like object….his eyes slipped over to the white wrapped Samehada over near the kitchen entrance where he was starting to smell fish… "No" he thought to himself as he turned around and looked at his hands

This man was no one to take lightly…but then again, he looked up, his red eyes dim in the light. Neither was he.

Soon Kisame came back with a plate of baked and spitted fish and they both ate in silence, though not as much with Kisame eating the fist and the sticks all in one…Itachi looked up and then back at the fish in his hands which was barely touched and set it back down, wrapping his hands together "Kisame" he whispered to the man who immediately stopped eating and wiped his mouth with the back of one hand "yeah?"

"I wanted to know about the Akatsuki…and who did you mention before? Sasori?" his questions were childish but his eyes meant business.

Kisame looked amused "about us...that why you came all the way out here to find us? Or was it because you already knew that we are made out of the highest ranked villains in the world?" Itachi blinked "that will do."

Kisame finished the remaining fish on the plate and then stole Itachi's as he started to explain about the Akatsuki starting with the members. "Well, there are eight of us, he began to pick his teeth with an iron needle he brought forth from his coat, (makes ya wander what **ELSE **he's got is in there )

And spoke, "First there's me, I've been there the longest out of all of them…then there's Deidara…now he…or she is quite interesting…makes little clay animals, er… explode

Itachi put his hands to his lips and listened "cheerful." Then there is Sasori, whom you've heard me mention before…he's an interesting kid…likes to make puppets out of people. Itachi faintly remembered when he was a child and had a visitor to his training house on the edge of the village who had been garbed in the Akatsuki's cloak as well. "So, Sasori huh?" Itachi motioned him to continue

Kisame coughed and continued on, "There's Zetsu, and he's one of the strangest that we have…he's very sneaky and as interesting as he looks don't take him as a flower…he'll eat you. Kisame took a breath and then started talking about two more when Itachi cut him off in mid sentence and stood " and what about your leader?" he asked, his eyes narrowed down to red slits and intimidating even someone as powerful as Kisame " Our leader? He really doesn't say much…."

Itachi sighed and leaned back in his chair, his hair falling over his face "well I guess ill talk to him when I meet him."

Kisame smiled smugly and then stood up, well…we can spend the remaining hours of the night here and then get going in the morning, I just got back from getting something for the chief that he needed from the hidden village of mist and figured id be best suited for the job." Itachi nodded and Kisame went in back to the bed and left Itachi to the couch after shutting off the light,

Itachi laid there in the dark pondering things and getting over exited about the Akatsuki…such interesting people he had yet to meet, and how much power he would gain over the time he had.

He did not sleep; his eyes were a light in the darkness.

Waiting…waiting.


	3. Chapter 3: Decisions, Decisions

Morning came and the sound of creaking woke Itachi from his daze, "so "he thought "I did get some sleep after all…" he turned his head at the creaking again only to find that it was Kisame coming out from his room. Itachi sat up and combed one hand through his messy hair, Kisame caught him looking up and he smiled "well, today well be heading back…you ready?"

Itachi looked at him in silence and then slowly stood, smoothing down his cloths " indeed" he murmured his eyes glazed over as he looked at the silver ring resting in his right hand…he hadn't let go of the thing.

Kisame shrugged and then picking up his sword and a pack of something he had scored from the kitchen he opened the door and stomped out, kicking the two 'doorstops' into the lake. Itachi watched until the bodies were no longer visible in the water and the ripples had vanished, so much for them.

They went back through the woods, both silent save the crunching sound that seemed to come from Kisame when any small wild animal crossed their path…and mysteriously vanished.

Itachi grimaced again. That guy had a stomach to match his oversized muscles.

Itachi soon was back to asking soft questions concerning the Akatsuki, where they were located, what was their purpose, there had been so many questions he had wanted to ask of the stranger who had come to his training ground years before that were never answered, and him with his never ending search for power and knowledge…perfect.

Kisame didn't look at him, even though he walked beside him over the dirt path he had apparently forged before, but as a few minutes passed he spoke "I cant tell you were we stay until you are an official member…our purpose…to harness all of the power of the nine jinchuuriki…the nine beasts that could never be tamed, if we had those…we would be invincible.

Itachi looked at him, he had heard of such beasts of myth…the most popular was indeed the Kyuubi or nine tailed fox…the animals power stemmed from how many tails they possessed, but why…?

And then it hit him…so far there were only a few members, if he was added…nine jinchuuriki…nine members…it made sense.

"Ahh" he sighed, causing Kisame to look at him confused then as seconds of silence hovered between them a flash of something caught their attention.

Kisame spun around and heaved his sword in front of him; whilst Itachi released his Sharingan. Someone was watching them.

Kisame suddenly shifted his sword to the right and deflected four thrown needles aimed for his jugular and Itachi looked up in to the trees where the attack had come from and unsheathing his own sword tossed it in the air a little pressed his index finger to it and in a flash hurled it like a lance into a tree two feet from them. Kisame blinked at him and then turned when a body fell from the tree with gurgle, Itachi's sword poking out the other side of his neck.

Kisame whistled and then looked back at the tree "you can either surrender or well…be shark bait…which one?" Itachi stared at the body and sighed; now his sword was all dirty.

A clamor of activity came from that particular tree and two other ninja dropped from the branches next to their dead partner glaring at the two from where they tried hard not to quake in their shoes.

Itachi eyed them and then smiled quietly "village of the hidden grass is it? ...what could we possibly have done to upset you?" he purred causing a shiver to run up both of the grass's spines.

Kisame shook his head at the straight forward boy and then glanced back at the two causing similar shivers with his appearance alone "well?"

One got down on his knees in the grass and the other soon followed suit.

The one who got down first who announced himself as the leader of the pathetic group started speaking "kill us if you wish scum! Our mission was to hunt down the secret organization that assassinated our lord and made our lives miserable, we were sent to kill the people responsible…you!" he growled while the other cowered. Kisame raised one eyebrow. "Well your just ready to die aren't cha?"

The two glared back and caused Kisame to grin "decisions, decisions…"

A moment of silence loomed between the men and without another word Kisame stepped up and raising his sword slashed it in an arch at the two simply and effectively breaking their necks. Itachi twitched at the crunching.

Itachi looked back at his bloody sword still lodged in the first guys throat and then started walking in the direction they had been traveling not waiting to see if Kisame would catch up but still talking to him.

"It seems even in the mighty Akatsuki there are bugs…" Kisame grunted " not many, some hunt us down with only our reputation and others for personal reasons such as those damn fools…" he shook his head " I told Zetsu not to make that so messy" It was Itachi's turn to laugh.

They plodded along while Kisame ranted on about how many times people had come after him in particular and felt it absurdly necessary to spill his guts about how he had been some special swordsman and how many he had killed in his time…Itachi just rolled his eyes " indeed" he chuckled and walked along with him.


	4. Chapter 4: Snake in the Grass

As the two walked off a shadow dropped from a tree and slipped over to the bodies of the dead ninja, golden eyes glittered from under a curtain of silky black hair "I see…you'll make this difficult for me ne…Itachi-kun?"

The man shot up a tree and stood at the top, his hair blowing in the wind as he crouched following the two with his eyes, the sun peeked out finally, thinking herself safe from the sight of the massacre the light reflecting off the mans forehead protector…the village of Konoha.

Itachi glanced at Kisame for the millionth time that morning waiting for the man to say something because he himself wasn't a very sociable guy.

Finally not able to take it any more Kisame looked over his shoulder and grunted "what? Oh no…" he took a closer glance and saw that look in Itachi's eyes "if you ask 'are we there yet?' I'm gonna scream. Itachi looked amused and started to open his mouth when instead of screaming as he had promised Kisame burst into a fit of gutsy laughter "nah you don't need to, we just need to get over that mountain yonder and then a little down a ways and were there" Kisame pointed to a large and foreboding mountain fixed with sharp cliffs and cranky crags, Itachi shielded his eyes from the light of the sun and looked at the mountain in question… "Hmn" he mumbled looking at Kisame and then back at it "I like it."

Kisame chuckled and swung his sword on his other shoulder to give his dying arm a rest and shook his head as he continued walking "you are one straaaange kid."

The man from before had indeed followed the two to this point and watched them sit for lunch, his amber eyes glittering feverishly shifting from the shark man from the hidden mist to the prize of whom he had set his sights upon "Uchiha Itachi.." he murmured, a abnormally long tongue slipping out of his mouth and licking his lips hungrily "the desecrator of his own clan…the holder of the Sharingan…the one technique I crave."

Orochimaru started laughing then, fully out of range from even their hearing he laughed at his chance, he had only to follow the object of his desire, his hunger, and his body.

"Start running Itachi-kun…the snake is coming for you."

Itachi cared nothing for the long journey to the place of his destination; he cared nothing for the man next to him even though he had been the only company he'd had during this whole thing and come to think of it, he walked next to Kisame staring off into space but keeping where he was walking " he's kinda growing on me"…it was indeed a lot different than the village…there had been only one man, even when he had lived in Konoha that he had ever felt comfortable with enough to laugh with.

He suddenly focused his eyes and banished the thought of that man, the friend that he had killed…

Itachi suddenly and out of the blue sighed deeply causing Kisame to almost pull a weapon "what the-?" Itachi blinked up at him and shrugged speaking softly "I apologize…thinking too much" he smiled lightly getting another strange look from his companion.

"Ok then…" Kisame looked up "it's near afternoon." He muttered and then started fishing in that cloak of his for something, now Itachi never really curious about such little things started to wonder what he was gonna pull outta that thing this time when his question was answered by a gruff smile and a small bottle that looked as if it should belong to a bar.

Itachi eyed it and then poked his nonchalantly "don't tell me that's Sake…"

Kisame grinned as he usually did, the sun glinting off his jagged teeth "id be a happy fish if it twas, no It's only some lotion to protect my skin from the sun…I've been affected with some weird skin condition" he poured some of the oily liquid in to his palms and rubbed it on his bluish skin causing Itachi to turn around and have a little anxiety attack "cant he ever do something expected for once?" he hissed in his mind and waited for him to be done and then in the process looking up to survey the surroundings which had changed alarmingly during the less than twenty minutes they had been walking…the mountain…it seemed to have gotten a lot closer than it had been before.

Kisame's gravely voice came from behind him "your right to be a little alarmed the first couple times Itachi." Itachi glanced back at him, the mirror in his eyes reflecting the man coldly but did not disguise his thirst for knowledge "what do you mean?" Kisame looked grim and then shrugged his shoulders "that's Chef's mountain…it comes to us."

Orochimaru had observed all this and had long been staring less at his prize and more at the other traveling with him and particularly at his choice of clothing " I had heard" he hissed, biting one of his fingers and letting the warm blood drip on to his lips " of a secret organization made of such outlaws…Kisame a bingo book special…" he finally figured out where they were going to and his twisted mind was working now…planning plotting " yesss " he sneered, his fangs glinting in the sun whom had seen this new threat and ran to hide again. " you will be mine and in the process…the Akatsuki as well."


	5. Chapter 5: Carnivorus Chrysanthemum

Ch.5

Carnivorous Chrysanthemum

Itachi rubbed his eyes and reverted them back to their normal coal black, even with his Sharingan he couldn't follow the mountain that Kisame swore was able to find them instead of the other way about and he sighed. "What with all the strange rumors about the Akatsuki and their members I shouldn't be so surprised at a moving mountain" Itachi glanced back at Kisame who smiled "yeah I guess your right, but if you think THIS is strange, wow your in for it…you sure your Akatsuki material?" he chuckled but was cut off by a bloody glare from Itachi.

"Ok, ok, sorry I asked!" he swung his sword in front of him, the sun dipping low in the sky seeming to be balanced upon the swords wrapped tip " well it shouldn't take another thirty minutes to reach the place and then you'll get to meet all my pals ok?" Itachi sneered and started walking in the general direction Kisame had pointed out "just don't expect me to get along with them."

As they walked along in silence again they were interrupted, not by any marauding bounty hunters or strange stalkers…but by the grumbling of Kisame's stomach. Itachi nearly took a dive into the ground "what the hell?"

Kisame grinned "sorry bout that…I smelled something good and I got hungry"

Itachi straightened himself and ran a hand through his hair, undoing it from its messy pony tail and letting the dark locks fall around his shoulders.

"Well" he murmured redoing his hair after combing it through " I am kind of hungry and the mountain isn't getting any closer to us now, damn thing" Kisame chuckled " the smell is coming from over there " he turned around and pointed his sword tip into a clump of woods around five feet from where they stood.

" Well…isn't that convenient" Itachi shrugged and taking a step forward shot straight that way, running fast, he hadn't gotten enough exercise and needed the burn. Kisame arched his eyebrows and ran after him " you must be hungrier than me you damn fool, cause your running pretty fast" Itachi grinned and shot up a tree over looking a small cooking fire in a clearing, a pot of some sort of stew bubbling over it.

Kisame appeared beside him and glanced around finding the clearing empty "well isn't that luck-"he was stopped in mid sentence by Itachi's arm in front of his face, he frowned "hey what's the big-"Itachi turned, his eyes back to the blood red of his sharingan but indeed there was something wrong with this picture for as Kisame watched the three dots in his red iris's melded together and formed something that sent a shiver down even his spine.

Kisame stood his sword in front of him and surveyed the area again and grimaced.

The clearing to any normal person would just have been a convenient clearing, but to those who were taught well in gengitsu would have seen right away that some of the tree's weren't trees and those that were bristling with traps.

Kisame looked again, most of the tree's were the decapitated and mangled bodies of some unfortunate band of thieves… and now that he thought about it, his eyes hesitantly traveled to the cooking pot in the middle of the clearing… "Ew …I'm gonna hurl."

Itachi glanced at him again with those strange eyes of his "well at least your spared some of the things **I** see friend…do you know who or what would do something like this?" he asked catching Kisame's disgusted look.

Kisame covered his face with one hand and then stood up and to Itachi's slight amazement dropped down into the clearing and kicked the pot as far away from him as possible without springing any of the hidden traps and then digging his sword tip into the ground he crossed his arms and waited.

He didn't have to wait long for instead of an attack as Itachi had hoped or at least expected a dismayed howl came from one of the tree's and Itachi watched in sick fascination as the tree grew arms, a face and then finally a whole man melted from the vegetation and let out a whine at the grumpy looking Kisame "Hey! That was my dinner you know!" the person thing came out into the sunlight cutting the traps so they wouldn't spring, now bathed in partial sunlight Itachi saw that the man also had an Akatsuki cloak…but this apparently didn't matter to Kisame as he immediately dredged up his sword and took a swing at the guys head snarling "god damnit Zetsu! What did I tell you about doing your weird cannibalistic crap near me?" The man called Zetsu quickly disappeared into the grassy ground and came up behind the enraged Kisame and backed off with his hands up though apparently laughing "sorry, sorry…I had hoped to get someone else…I don't like shark fin soup much" this got him a large lump on the head as Kisame's sword came crashing down on his green haired head "what did you say you weed?" Itachi watched this entire thing slightly amused but still unable to see the man's face, to him it appeared half shadowed, his eyes but tiny glittering dots over the collar of his cloak which as he stared began to twitch until he finally realized to some sort of twisted reasoning that he was a mix of a human and something that resembled a giant Venus flytrap, he blanched.

Kisame a little calmed down now having gotten rid of the bodies around the area which he could smell all too well he sat down and started speaking to Zetsu and then blinking he looked up and smiled " its ok, this is Zetsu…he wont eat you as long as I tell him not to ok?" Zetsu surprised looked up through the foliage and watched as Itachi dropped down, his eyes back to normal, Zetsu crowed happily "oh look another guest! Are you sure I can't eat him? He's such a pretty morsel!"

Itachi took a few steps back near Kisame and the later laughed loudly "don't be stupid Zetsu; this guy would give you some serious indigestion!" Itachi understood little, and yet strangely, this felt like a second family already…complete with shark people and man eating plants…joy.


	6. Chapter 6: Explosions

Ch.6

Explosions

Itachi at first hadn't really known what to think of Zetsu; but after Kisame reassured him that he wouldn't be eaten for lunch he calmed down and stopped thinking of how grilled veggies sounded. Zetsu had kindly declined eating their 'normal' food with them and had even volunteered to clean up the mess he had made. Itachi finished the last of his bread in silence rolling his eyes " yeah I'm sure he's quite eager to _'clean'_ up" he thought as he glanced at Kisame still having small talk with the plant man…Itachi watched a little and really couldn't help thinking how weird these two were to him.

Kisame got up after a while and waved as Zetsu went to apparently clean up and glanced at Itachi smiling "well, as I said…he's a pretty interesting character no?"

Itachi was already walking "much **too** interesting for my taste thank you" he whispered sending Kisame into one of his famous laughing fits.

The sun had already fled into the night leaving a pale crescent moon in her place, enough to light the way for them at least as they trudged up the steep path that led to the strange craggy mountain before them.

Kisame seemed strangely quiet during this bit of their journey and Itachi though silent himself was very curious as to why he was that way and yet… something else was bothering him…Kisame had kept his hand tightened on Samehada as soon as they stepped foot on the mountain path.

This as it did made Itachi very uncomfortable enough to keep his eyes on the path as well as the area around it, even going so far as to glare down a pebble that dared get in his way.

And then…it happened, they both had expected something but he knew Kisame would know what it was a lot faster than he would…the subject in question….

Sitting right in front of them peaceful as you please in the middle of the path was something that appeared to be a giant pelican made entirely out of clay and chakra. Itachi blinked and Kisame groaned "oh come ON!" he glanced around as the pelican thing began to shift into awareness at their arrival, Itachi just look fascinated at the piece of work in front of him, the clay as he could see with his sharingan was actually mixed with the chakra to form something such as this…it wasn't a bad piece of work…but he wondered about the creator

The clay pelican eyed them first and then flapping its large wings opened its beak slowly as if on command and suddenly even to Kisame's surprise started to screech…Kisame winced at the ear shattering sound and Itachi covered his ears with his hands, the wrenching sound enough to drive one mad… but it wasn't the sound he was worried about as he made out a dark figure zigzagging its way across a outcropping around five feet above them dropping a spray of small clay balls directly at him.

Itachi opened his eyes wide to the sharingan and keeping one hand on his right ear he dogged whatever the stranger had thrown just in time to have them explode on contact with the ground, filling the air with noxious gas and giving the clay pelican enough time to stop its hellish screeching and fly up to their attacker.

Itachi covered his mouth with the hem of his shirt and tried to stop the horrible ringing in his ears, Kisame as it seemed was following suit though as Itachi had thought before he looked annoyed and knew probably exactly who this was.

As the ringing subdued in his ears the air was filled with the most annoying laughter he had _ever_ heard in his life as he looked up through the smoke and saw a figure riding the clay bird and making their decent, landing on an outcropping a little above their reach.

Kisame gnashed his teeth together and took a step forward, one of his blue veins sticking waaaay out in his neck as he did so, taking a deep breath and bellowing through the thinning smoke "god damnit Deidara! Are you trying to kill us or something? I am soooo gonna chop of that pretty little head of yours you maniac!" Itachi blinked as the laughing just intensified until finally it was choked off by a sigh as the smoke cleared up the person named Deidara came into view.

She/he Itachi couldn't really tell was tall with long blonde hair and from what he could see behind a curtain of hair the person had very dark and mischievous eyes, now that he had gotten there he noticed the slightly worn forehead protector marking the person as a former member of the village of the hidden clouds…how convenient for the person was also wearing a long billowing Akatsuki cloak as well…though there was something in the persons smile, in the way that the person moved...Itachi narrowed his eyes coldly…and he knew that he absolutely _hated_ it. Kisame growled as Deidara smiled at him and in a deep voice purred at him "oh I'm terribly sorry Kisame-kun…I had only meant to test your pretty new assessment there" the person said, not even looking at Itachi twice…Itachi usually calm and studious fumed inside. Kisame arched one eyebrow and crossed his arms digging his sword into the ground " your gonna be in a lot of trouble if the boss finds out you know" he sneered, flashing his row of sharp teeth and making the other a bit shifty…score one for the shark team.

Deidara blinked and then shrugged seeming to take more interest in its hand then Kisame's conversations "mmm hmm yeah whatever" Kisame twitched, his face turning an amusing shade of purple, one of the freak face.

Kisame was just about to tell him just how vividly he was imagining setting up a display to see the color of Deidara's insides when Itachi silently stepped forward.

"So "he murmured, staring at the person whom now was forced to notice him "you were just out for a friendly spar yes?" Deidara looked at him, studied him and then coyly smiled " yes, yes…that was it, just a little friendly spar" raising the hand that that the person hand been so interested in and smiling a globe of clay appeared out of nowhere, its dark eyes glinting dangerously.

Itachi looked at him calmly and reflected in Deidara's eyes the person watched in shock as the man's eyes slowly went from one color to another as color would taint clear water, transforming it from black to red in an instant.

Itachi raised one hand and took one step back with his right foot, a standard fighting stance, his lips curving into a strange and eerie sneer "lets."


	7. Chapter 7: Art of Battle

Ch.7

Art of Battle

A warm wind howled through the rocky crags of the mountain they stood upon, two people, their gazes locked dangerously, waiting for the other to make a move, slip up so they could take the first lead. Itachi, his eyes blank of expression but still the bright red of his sharingan blinked at his adversary not so much focused on the battle as to what the _hell _Deidara was…he didn't move but looked Deidara up and down and then shrugging assumed it a very girly man and slowly looked up through his dark hair as Deidara made a dart for the right to come at him from his flanks…Itachi simply looked to the side and ducking under two or three thrown clay bombs slunk up close to him and exchanged a flurry of blows, countering every one of them to the anger of his foe.

Deidara hissed and drew back, opening his hand and creating yet another clay bomb "this makes no sense" he growled as he looked at the boy in front of him "how can he deflect all of my attacks so easily?" Then as he took another glance, his body taut with tension he saw something that just _pissed him_ **off**…

Itachi yawned.

Kisame decided as soon as he saw Deidara's face go bright red with rage that the battle was already over, so he picked his teeth of previous meals and glanced at Itachi whom now looked as if he seriously was going to flay the skin off the man in front of him. Deidara ran head long at Itachi, a bold move by him,

Itachi smirked and prepared to humiliate him again but instead of attacking directly he vanished, Itachi blinked on the edge his nerves now as he looked up.

Deidara, his blonde hair loose from its pony tail and his black eyes wide in the anticipation of the art of his kill opened both of his arms and let a booming barrage of clay bombs he had secretly been making since their battle started.

Itachi flipping over to doge the first couple rolled and skidded out of the way, scraping up the top of his shoulders and one elbow but in the process directing a large amount of chakra to the palm of his right hand and as he saw them coming, quickly shot them back as if playing a game of volleyball, sending the bombs straight back at the dropped figure of Deidara.

Deidara surprised did the only thing he could and ran; diagonally he dodged his own bullets until the last of them came for him from where he was running.

He choked and skidded to a halt as he saw them coming and raised his right hand and at Itachi's amusement they disappeared into his palm.

Itachi stood straight, his right hand poised to parry any attack the man might have and with his left wiped off some of the dust and blood on his arms and grimacing licked his lips, dry from his hard breathing. "Damn this little upstart!" Deidara hissed to himself as he held his right hand before his face the skin of his palm twisted and writhed becoming a bloody rip of a mouth, jagged teeth pricking from its twisted jaws, from the mouth however came dark oily smoke, it had choked down its own bombs.

Itachi winced at the sight at which both beheld but took the deep chuckling coming from Kisame that his doing so had been a good turn for him, fact told. Itachi looked up again, his eyes a darker red and the wheels in his eyes turning slowly "this could be a good time to practice." Deidara swiftly on the wings of his rage that he couldn't use his clay raised his hands and as he did Itachi copied his movement and the exact jitsu but it simply didn't matter…he knew he was better!

His eyes widened as he finished the last seal with his foe and sucked in a large breath "Katon, Goukakyu no jitsu!" Kisame surprised as he had first been when he had first encountered that technique jumped back as the two massive fireballs collided with each other with a colossal bang sending bits of rock and things flying forcing the large man to resort to hiding behind his sword for cover.

Then as suddenly as it came the eruption of sound was suddenly sucked back into the crater of the collision and became a thick curtain of smoke tinged with blood making a demon out in the smoke for a split second before it vanished.

Seconds passed, and then a few minutes…Kisame looked up from the edge of his sword and squinted into the smoke, who's blood was it he smelled?...Deidara's or… Itachi's?

A harsh choking sound came from the smoke and then followed by the same person having the voice choked _from_ them.

Kisame raised an eyebrow and as the smoke cleared he picked out the outlines of the two men very close together, and as the smoke thinned further he made out the strange and alarming scene before him.

Itachi, his eyes strangely bright but still narrowed had his hand upon a clearly shaken Deidara's throat, nearly lifting him an inch off the ground with his own strength; those strange killing eyes of his swirling around in the mangekyo sharingan. Kisame realized then that the blood he had smelt in the smoke had indeed been Deidara's own as he watched it dripping in a slow trickle from his lips.

A growl sifted between Deidara's bloodied lips, his eyes glaring daggers into the man who had mysteriously and in no time at all ripped the art of battle from his soul and left him defeated and hanging at his mercy.

Itachi raised one eyebrow, a flashy show of expression for him at this point "you seem to be rather fond of those little evil eyes"

He murmured to his hanging foe,

Deidara took a double take and looked again at Itachi's loathsome face only to find that the blood red eyes that had baffled him into such a world that he had lost had gone, replaced by the cold black ebony mirrors that were him.

He sneered "not as much as those freakish eyes of yours…what the HELL did you do you asshole?"

That got him a glare, but as swiftly as it came it was gone replaced by a sickly sweet and smug look and a shrug of Itachi's thin shoulders "well…its somewhat a curse to have and then sometimes its fun…" he slowly raised his right hand, his index finger and middle finger poised right above the stricken mans right eye.

Kisame widened his own little eyes at the scene before him "would he actually do it? To Deidara a member of the Akatsuki"

A scream confirmed his question and as he watched a stream of blood splattered and soaked into the the sun bleached landscape on which they stood.

Itachi had taken Deidara's right eye as payment.


	8. Chapter 8: Thunder

Ch. 8

Thunder

Itachi dropped the whimpering blonde in disgust and turned to the surprise of the defeated. Rule 2 in the Ninja for dummies guide, never turn your back on an enemy…and yet. Deidara, still shaking covered his bloodied face, obviously in a huge amount of pain; he clenched his teeth "you're turning your back to an enemy? You think me defeated? Don't be so trusting!" he screeched, still unable to get up, his legs having turned as useless as wet noodles in Itachi's presence, but he wasn't about to let him see that.

Kisame suppressed a chuckle as Itachi turned around slowly, a long kunai between two fingers of his right hand "I'm not so trusting…"

Deidara now hung his head, his blonde hair hanging loose from its pony tail pooling around his shoulders…defeated.

Itachi started walking, stopped and calmly glanced at Kisame and with a shrug he followed him as well leaving Deidara to his own devices.

Kisame now walked behind the man he had thought himself better than…every time they had gotten into a scuffle Itachi had calmly and very coldly dispatched it, as if he didn't care, "this is an amusing morsel you've tossed the world lady fate…I wonder what will happen next?"

He thought, his eyes drifting to the top of the peak where he could just make out the colossal entrance to a cavern called home.

Itachi saw the cavern loom before him, jagged rocks sticking out from the sides of it, leaving only one possible entrance and exit…very crafty.

Kisame grumbled as the ring on his finger started to pulse as he got closer, he always had felt the strange miasma of power coming from the place whenever he was around it, so he wasn't much for coming around the front entrance…he rolled his eyes " but I guess I have to take you this way kid"

"Don't call me Kid" Itachi snapped, cutting off Kisame.

Kisame stopped, but didn't get mad as they stood before the entrance of where the Akatsuki had their lair…Itachi looked up; all the years he had trained after the man Sasori had told him of it…all the things he had done, had led up to this moment…Itachi's eyes were feverishly bright as he stepped forward with Kisame into the darkness, leaving behind the few shreds of doubt left in him to the wind.

Though they were inside a long slithery tunnel wet with dew and moss they made no sound as the two of them walked down the path, Kisame leading the way now, for he knew the way AND the people that would await them there, intruders he told him, weren't treated very nicely.

Itachi had rolled his eyes and replied with an annoyed "of course!"

Now he was silent save for his breathing, the only indication that he was even there in the inky darkness that he was even alive, his obsession that Itachi had kept hidden from Kisame the whole time now coming out…it was actually in a funny sort of way, refreshing.

Itachi unbeknownst to Kisame had also upon entering the place felt the aura of immense power surrounding the place…oh how it thrilled him, but very Unlike Kisame…he could feel it still, and it was growing so that it fairly crawled along his skin. "Someone" he thought, "or something is in here that has immeasurable strength even to me…" Kisame stopped putting one lightly on Itachi's shoulder, making him jump a bit and snap back into reality.

Kisame let himself a little chuckle here and then motioned just in front of them with his head, for where the tunnel spilled out a large open cave bared its fangs at them…they had reached their destination.

Itachi allowed himself a smile but only briefly as he was suddenly stricken with the huge amount of loose chakra in the area…he peered into the inky blackness before him and found another pair of strange eyes boring into his own…and then after what seemed like an eternity a voice slipped into his ears, hissing, forcing him to listen to that cold brittle thunder of a voice.

"So…you've come…" Itachi held his ground as he would, his eyes back to the sharingan but even with that…he could not see through the cloud that veiled the man, but before he had the chance again the voice slid through again "I assume Kisame-san has told you about the organization…and" the eyes slid down to his left hand, where on it the silver ring with the empty well was and narrowed " you must be very skilled to have gotten that from him before the test…very unusual but… you are worthy to take the test."

Itachi's heartbeat quickened as the mans words swept waves of fear and anxiousness into him…Kisame stood to attention but still steadied Itachi with one hand just in case.

Itachi swept his hair back from his face slowly and was able to make out at least three other hulking figures behind the leader before the man spoke once more taking a step forward and pointing at a shocked Itachi and Kisame, a shadowy sneer playing on his thin lips " I hope your ready…."


	9. Chapter 9: Lightening

Ch.9

Lightening

Itachi didn't care for the man's face, or what he could see of it anyway.

He couldn't feel or hear Kisame anymore, all he could sense was the great pulse of energy, of power in that room…and thought it could be his.

Still rooted to the spot but embowered with new strength he closed his eyes and bowed his head in respect, which ought to keep them amused. He finally spoke after a minute or two of silence "I am ready and waiting for anything you could and have made up for me…" a shadow of a smirk played across his perfect lips "se-n-sei" The Man before him was indeed amused, Kisame was just freaked out.

Kisame raised his eyes to his master's dark form and hid his emotions beneath the collar of his cloak "geez Itachi " he thought as he watched the scene unfolding before him " don't screw this up kid…this guy isn't someone you should mess with, even you must know that" He shifted his weight onto the back of his heels which caused one of the large forms behind the master turn its sharp hawk like gaze upon him, he flinched but stared back " screw you man" he hissed within the folds of his cloak and reverted his attention back to his companion…there was always a test...he hoped the guy passed it, he had developed a friendly little tie with the kid and would hate to see him…disposed of.

The man's attention turned from Itachi who was now flaunting a sort of special strength, he admired his courage and apparently, his head turned and his blazing gaze fell upon Kisame…so did he. For a moment he looked at the two and the room was bereft of all sound and then he spoke in a hissing whisper "In order to join us Uchiha Itachi Kun…for you have come a long way and are more than qualified to become Akatsuki…Itachi….that ring which you wear symbolizes the Biju Itachi" The man held up a hand and turned his attention away from them "the Jinchuuriki are the ones we hunt for now….and you are one who will help us."

His eyes sharpened in his enthusiasm and Itachi winced as another pulse of power engulfed him. "But…." He turned with a glace as cold as hoar frost upon the two of them, "Before I can allow it, you must pass your test…" Itachi stood straight up and as he turned his attention back to Kisame the man grinned "so I sense you have a bond with your travel companion…your fight will go well" Itachi's eyes widened as if mirroring Kisame's own.

The man slashed out with a hand and pointed at Kisame and looked at Itachi "there is your test…fight your friend, to the death."

Badger's Note Cards

Hello all my adored readers!

I'm sorry I couldn't bring this short chapter to you any sooner but School has been annoying of late and I've been too tired to write!

Audience: Oo GASP! No!

Let me give you a little tip then!

. Reviews make me write more D

It makes me all happy to get them and know that I have fans who like my work!

(Even if it IS slightly runny XD) I thank you from the bottom of my animated heart!

Badger Nin 3


	10. Chapter 10: Friend and Foe

Ch. 10

Friend and Foe

Itachi turned and looked at Kisame and Kisame mirrored his movement "fight each other? To the death" Neither moved though the Leader had moved back into his former position even proceeding to watch with those ruby eyes of his…how he played cat and mouse with his two pawns.

Kisame slowly gripped Samehada feeling something near regret at having to fight the kid…and a little fear in doing so…he had seen what the kid could do…he looked up wondering if Itachi was taking it the same way…he blanched.

Itachi stood before Kisame, both hands raised and his eyes back the way they had been in the forest last…the Mangekyo sharingan.

Kisame surprised held Samehada before him and looked suspiciously at the other, readying himself for everything the kid could throw at him…

Itachi watched the sword with interest seeing as how he had never seen it unwrapped and had no idea of the full power the man who had been his companion up to this point had, he moved to the side a little, step by step.

Now the real question…who would attack first?

The leader watched quietly without much interest really but just enough to keep them at it. Kisame watched Itachi move and stood his legs bent preparing to move for he was sure Itachi was the type who would move first…and he found himself right for as he thought it so he was startled back a few steps as Itachi just plain vanished from the spot he had been, Kisame snarled, his pointed teeth grinding together as he turned around bringing his sword up to block as his delicate hearing picked up the hiss of wind above him.

Itachi bent his knees and using a stealth technique only known to the ANBU he cut the air in two and leapt into the air aiming a pulled kunai directly for the mans unprotected neck.

The leader's eyes blazed as he watched the forthcoming battle, this was getting interesting. Kisame breathed in the two seconds he had between them as Itachi was blocked by Samehada and in the process cut through half the binding around the giant sword, Kisame growled and turning on his heel shoved all his weight forward and twisted his sword trying to shear the man in half before he zipped away again.

Itachi winced and turned in mid air slicing through the bindings on the sword and tipping it with his food to gain leverage as he flipped over and landed about three or four feet from him, a large crater already in the floor when Itachi had driven it into the ground with his foot…Itachi looked up his senses picking up something, he could read and copy Kisame's movements and apparently his old friend knew so because he hadn't used any jitsu.

But….Itachi dogged as Kisame pulled free his sword and swung it, tearing off a nice section of his left pant leg…this wasn't any normal sword.

He hopped on to the back of a chair across the room and gave Kisame room to figure out a strategy; meanwhile he took a look at the sword.

Kisame grinned "you lookin at this boy? Nice isn't she? Not only does she slice…" he ran forward calling forth two Bunshin who all simultaneously raised their swords made entirely out of shark teeth "but "in unison the three voices growled as the swung their swords "she dices!"

The swords were brought down…and a small scratch appeared on Itachi's right cheek.

Itachi widened his eyes and the iris's started spinning the bunshin dissipating as if they had never been there in the first place and Kisame so shocked that his sword was knocked out from his hands so fast and hard that it flew back and nearly hit the group of onlookers as it crashed into the wall beside them. Itachi felt the warm blood running down his face from the scratch…Blood…

"You…are going to die Kisame." Kisame found out suddenly he could not move, try as he might his legs had been magically and frighteningly cemented to the floor and as he looked sweat dripped from his skin as the boy walked slowly towards him, one hand out as if he would pull the life from him from where he was, pull him somewhere else that wasn't here…he was going to die.

Itachi was annoyed enough that he was bleeding but Kisame had done it, he really hadn't thought it practical to kill the guy him being a member of the Akatsuki, but as he grabbed for the man to tear him into his world where only they existed along with the Gengitsu death that awaited him there he thought, "why would he want to kill him?"

Kisame looked into Itachi's face and felt the world pulling him in, why, had he lost to this man…who was more powerful than perhaps half the Akatsuki combined…someone like him existed…disgusting how unfair it is.

The brink of death loomed before them but quietly and without warning a dark foot slammed him to the floor knocking him back into the world and spinning around brought the tip of a kunai to Itachi's throat…an evil sneer painted the leaders lips as he stood up, snapping Itachi back into focus as well…" there will be your end boys…Itachi..." the burning eyes mirrored his own which were not quite as red and then as he watched the man grasped something tight in his palm, so tight it must have pained him, how much of the guy he saw and then opening the same hand revealed the ring…though it was not the same, for instead of an empty well a crimson stone glistened " welcome to the Akatsuki…"

Kisame blinked a few times and shook his head watching Itachi receive the Ring… "So…we really didn't need to kill each other then?"

The leader taking notice turned an eye on him and smiled yet again "indeed…

Anyone that can beat you has potential, isn't that what you said to me when you joined Kisame-kun?" he drawled as he looked at both the stunned boys, one mesmerized by a ring and the other at his situation.

"And I think that kid beat you up pretty good don't you shark boy?"

Kisame sat there and then looking at Itachi started laughing "god damnit! How messed up is THAT?"

Itachi blinked as well and then catching Kisame's words suddenly started laughing along…it had been an interesting day.

Badger notes

I really hope you liked this chapter!

I've had a lovely time trying to write while school has been going on but even with how gloomy I've been I hope this made you laugh a little

Thank you for reading!

Badger Nin


	11. Chapter 11: New Guest

Ch.11

New Guest

It had been a month since Itachi had become one of the Akatsuki and so far everything was going well, he was nearly the best member they had acquired since, well…back to the matter at hand everything was great and dandy and even the huge guy from the lightening country who, even though he was so tall he had to duck to get in the door to the lair and even so because of his gruff features he actually turned out to be a nice guy who loved chess…strange indeed.

However, the leader of the Akatsuki was NOT happy…he was positively furious, it turned out his little brother had been snooping around…mindless weirdo…so this is why little brothers are always the cause of murder later on in life…j/k

No but in fact, that wasn't the case at all…it was actually serious, one of the members of the Akatsuki had gotten caught by the ANBU while completing a mission for him and obviously hadn't been able to escape…damn fool, he had been told not to get caught…he was either dead or being tortured to the point…it didn't matter to him whether the man died or not just as long as he didn't accidentally leak information about them.

But more troublesome was that they were now in need of yet ANOTHER new member. He smoothed back his long spiked hair with his two shadowy hands and his eyes snapped up…for it was then he felt a strange and very cold pulse of chakra that wasn't anyone's he knew of…and he suddenly realized something else just a little unsettling…that the chakra he felt wasn't that far away.

In the main room four members of the Akatsuki were in attendance, each sitting on small wooden chairs and each with a glass of sake and each…with at least three or four cards in their hands.

Kisame looked up, his eyes gleaming dangerously as he looked at the others at the table then back at the cards he held in his large hands. A large dark looking man with beady eyes glanced his way and made an effort to grin. "Well what are you gonna do Kisame?" Itachi watched this with a bit of cynicism but still kept a fair eye upon his own cards, he had finally gotten to meet Sasori. The shady one messing with Kisame…but he didn't seem as interesting as he had thought when he was younger. Kisame flipped cards and a very grouchy and bandaged up Deidara kept throwing sharp glances at Itachi as he collected his cards and looked for every opportunity to trounce him.

Kisame picked up a card and suddenly his eyes went wide and he slammed down a full house and stood up grinning like a maniac and pointing to Sasori

"DRAW BITCH!" Sasori nearly fell off his chair, Deidara started laughing and Itachi rolled his eyes " there must be something better do to than take cheap shots at each other with poker" he thought, smiling lightly at Kisame and adding "wouldn't it be better to just kill him over a royal flush?"

Everyone burst out laughing.

After a few minutes order or at least cheap shots resumed and they all got back into their chairs and looked at their cards.

"So…is it my turn yet?" a deep voice questioned. All four of the card players widened their eyes and nearly fell off their chairs again as the leader smiled playfully at them from the other side of the table, four cards already in his hand and his dark swirling eyes fixed on them.

Itachi recovered quietly and smoothed his coat down, first unbuttoning the collar so his face was fully visible "is there something wrong sir?"

The leader of the Akatsuki glowered at him for ruining his fun but didn't move and laid his cards flat on the table "we seem to have an unexpected new guest wandering dangerously near the area…and as far as I can tell he has some very strange chakra with very little difference in power than our own…do you see what I mean?"

Kisame stood up "you mean to have this person join us then?"

Sasori looked up slowly and moving his enormous weight to the side allowed something resembling a wooden scorpion tail from the back of his coat to whip around like a cats " assuming he's not hostile…I could always use a fresh amount of blood for my paintings"

Deidara snorted "you maniac…blood dries up too fast!"

Itachi sighed "artists…" he rubbed his head and then opened one of his eyes to look back upon the leader "so then…who should go check first?"

The leader smiled and Kisame started laughing

"How nice of you to go and volunteer Itachi kun…you can go and check first!"

The leader patted him on the back and Itachi still trying to regain something of dignity pulled a face of disgust that started Deidara to laugh aloud.

Kisame pointed at Itachi in his humility "hahahaha, sucks for you pretty boy, have fun"

"Oh no Kisame Kun…your going with him…twice the fun you see "

Itachi stood by Kisame as the room emptied at the leaders command to prepare for hostility on the lair.

They both took a breath

"Ready?"

"Yeah"

"Seriously?"

"No"

"Damn…this sucks"

"I agree…lets hit it."

Badger Notes

Ok ladies and germs I do agree…I had waaaay too much sugar before I wrote this chapter and with my step dad constantly playing poker the two just collided LOL and obviously I know nothing about card playing, but here we are entering an important part in the story, the conclusion to Mr. snaky pants and what he plans to do with Itachi! Yaaaaay! Confetti

I hope you enjoy and ill keep trying to bring you these chapters as soon as possible.

Ja nae!

Badger Nin


	12. Chapter 12: Snake Hole

Ch. 12

Snake hole

Itachi, was pissed…Not only had the leader just cast them out into the night to face some unknown foe, he had made him seem a fool! Itachi fumed quietly in the high collar of his coat "stupid motherfraggin maja battcha fragga" Kisame raised an eyebrow and as they left the main gate rested one hand on his friends shoulder "hey…I know, he can get that way…try not to let that bother ya ok? It's just his "I'm cute when I'm really very serious "voice…just deal with it, ne?" Kisame nearly flinched when Itachi turned around, his eyes slivers of crimson ice "shut up…" Kisame shrugged and held up his hands "eyah eyah whatever…lets just find this guy and ge-"his sentence was cut off, and not by just any random event, Itachi kicking his ass, a rat bigger than his head running by his feet or even the leader caterwauling in his tub…but by a unholy hissing that suddenly filled the area, as if a hundred cold blooded venom tipped vipers had decided to make HQ their home. Itachi was scared, this is one thing not many people may know about him…but it was a fact…Itachi, HATES snakes.

Kisame gnashed his shark like teeth together and noticed that even Itachi as rooted to the ground as he was had his eyes fairly glowing red and even his hands twitching for his weapons. Seconds went by, minutes and then suddenly, the hissing slowed, it mixed together, like a language, and as Itachi realized this and started to calm down…he heard words.

"Ah…asssss sssharp asss ever…"

silence and then again he heard it, he looked up and squinting his eyes made out a figure in the darkness, a purple hazy darkness vibrating with chakra, very near his own level…he saw a pale man, with a long snake like tongue and a sinister smile… "I've been looking for you…Itachi kun."

Itachi wasn't amused…This man, at least he hoped it was a man had managed to frighten him for a split second with his damnable snake impressions…that made him a little more pissed than he already was but he stayed calm, his voice enough to give the guy at least a small chance of frostbite "state your business, or I will be forced to kill you" he moved his hands inside his coat, indicating some hidden weapons. The man simply laughed and stepped forward into the moonlight, fully dissipating the chakra induced darkness so Kisame and Itachi could see to the full extent what they were up against.

Kisame blinked, it was one thing to look in the mirror every day and see a fish man but it was quite another to see someone resembling a very pale human snake, one of his eyes twitched. Itachi growled, indeed the man was another that seemed out of place in the world, as if he would fit in here, the only place where he saw such people walking around, he shook his bangs from his face and watched in mild disgust as the mans long tongue he had spied before snaked out to wet his taught lips, Itachi's upper lip curled behind his collar "you didn't answer me…who are you and what are you doing here?"

The man raised his gold slitted eyes to the boys before him "so impatient you are…" I may tell you who I am and I may tell you what I am slightly here for but I don't usually give such information away to strangers…it's a good thing I know you already, Itachi Kun."

This matter sent a very unpleasant shiver down Itachi's spine.

The man spoke once again in his strange whispery voice "my name…Is Orochimaru and I wish to join the Akatsuki…kapishe?"

Kisame groaned, lovely…

Badger Notes

Now hopefully you have been doing your school work and job stuff and whatnot…however! X3 I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, I really love portraying Orochimaru in his own creepiness, he's just an interesting character, anywho, were starting to get into his plot and Itachi and Kisame aren't too happy about it! LOL

Time to start reviewing people! Its motivation, off your lazy bums! (British accent)

Thank you so much to all my readers that have stuck with me!

Luv luv

Anywho

Badger ya later!


	13. Chapter 13: Intentions

Ch.13

Intentions

Itachi was not having a good night, it was actually dawn but he hadn't wanted to admit he had spent all night in his room thinking of ways to kill that bastard snake man if he came slithering into his room…ninja were trained to be able to stay awake for days but right now Itachi was in some dire need of SLEEP.

A knock sounded at his door and he sat up in bed his eyes narrowed and his hand creeping under his pillow for a kunai "who is it?" he growled, he was in no hurry to be kind in the morning, and knocking was certainly a pleasantry in the morning he didn't want.

The handle of the door turned and it took Itachi a moment to realize it was neither Kisame nor the man named Orochimaru he had expected it would be…he brushed back his hair but was till aware enough to keep his hand on the kunai at all times, he opened his eyes as Sasori slithered in, closing the door with his long tail and standing before his bed, waiting for him to turn around and look at him.

Itachi yawned and turned "what do you want so early in the morning Sasori? There something going on I should know about?" The face of Sasori never changed expression, like a mask or the face of a puppet, the mans gravely voice chuckled "indeed, the man you brought in last night, Orochimaru I believe…he's a lot stronger than the leader had thought, he passed the test automatically…he beat Ginta in a fair fight" Itachi raised an eyebrow "Ginta…from the lightening?" Sasori shuffled a little where he stood, his tail quivered " the same…but I just felt I should tell you…" he started to turn, one black eye looking back at him as a hand snaked out of his robes to open the door again " that I do not trust this man, and neither should you, Itachi Kun."

The door closed and Itachi looked down at his hands and then shrugging slipped back into bed and though it was dawn it was still dark in his designated room and the minute he closed his eyes he drifted into a deep sleep full of serpents and people who knew too much.

Orochimaru bowed before the leader as he had done so many nights since he had come before, the leader didn't mind and was as mysterious to Orochimaru as anybody he had ever met, he was intrigued, but he didn't forget his mission, Itachi would be worth all the effort it had taken him to find this place, and humbling himself before this man wasn't his forte either, but he managed.

It was a little past dawn when he was dismissed from the man's presence and directed towards the main hall where he could find some food…the path there was very cold and strangely silent, he didn't mind much, it was when he entered the room he knew some things were to get interesting.

The members of the Akatsuki turned from their food to look at him, the new guy look and then the dark withholding look of mistrust, he Orochimaru noted those few down and remembered to watch them and himself around them…he scanned the room and frowned.

"Itachi Kun is not present? How unfortunate..." he slipped coolly into a chair and served himself some applesauce.

He spooned some into his mouth when a shadow was cast over him, Orochimaru looked up through his oily black hair, his golden snake eyes narrowed "need to say something…Kisame Kun…was it?"

Kisame narrowed his own little eyes at the mysterious man, he had been warned by Sasori and the rather beaten up Ginta that the guy wasn't to be trusted, and with the events of that night and his obvious obsession with Itachi he couldn't sit down and watch…

Kisame snapped the button to his collar and made it so the man could clearly watch him speak, and watch his teeth, trying to impress upon him the seriousness of this talk, he pulled up a chair beside the man and sitting down crossed his arms and growled "what are you doing here…really?"

Orochimaru grinned, a sly, evil, wicked grin "why Kisame Kun…you've been hearing rumors…already? Tsk, tsk" he eyed the man and licked his lips of some stray sauce "I'm here to be a partner to you and the Akatsuki…I just happen to know Itachi and his family background…that's all."

Kisame growled and then getting up sighed "I suppose…but know this Orochimaru…he's my partner…not yours" and with that he stomped out to have a word with the leader.

Orochimaru sat silent for a minute, the others in the room didn't dare speak, they were watching as they should, he soon stood and throwing his dish in the sink he put his hands in the coats inner pockets and as he walked he frowned " that one…something should be done."

And with that he melted into the darkness of the tunnels.


	14. Chapter 14: Annoyances

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me so far, your support helps me on the road to finish this story! So to all you readers out there, this one is for you. 

Ch.14

Annoyances

After that strange day in the lunch room Kisame became frequently or should he say MORE frequently angered, Itachi thought it slightly strange that even if Kisame was INDEED a shark person he was nearly snapping heads off if anyone so much as bumped into him. He sighed as he sharpened his new sword and looking over the blade he shook his head, he wouldn't even go IN to what happened when Orochimaru showed up. Itachi had taken a seat in the far corner of the lunch room, everyone in fact had showed to get a bite to eat and more importantly to listen to the speech the leader was going to make, Itachi rolled his eyes and focused on a more prominent problem…his eyes focused on Orochimaru who as if he knew was being watched grinned and sipped a bit of tea, Itachi grimaced and put his sword away. "Oh how I would LOVE to run that snake through…" he hissed quietly. A gruff voice next to him chuckled "you an me both pal."

Itachi raised an eyebrow, not in the least a bit surprised to see a cross armed Kisame standing beside him chewing on a large bone of some kind…Itachi shook his head, he didn't want to know, he spoke instead " yeah? You too… IF the guy is powerful and somehow knows my past…or so he says he's not just your run of the mill evil villain who murders all that oppose him and somehow ended up here…I think he came here for something, he's finished all the missions in looking for the animals and done all that's asked of him…but somehow he's made an enemy of half the people in this room."

Orochimaru had finished eating his meal and taking a seat at the large table in the center of the room turned his golden eyes towards Itachi to see what he was up to and was actually surprised to find him staring back, they glared at each other for a while until Orochimaru blinked and shrugging it off with a smile, licked his lips with that incredibly large tongue of his and went to wash his plate.

He surely ate a lot for a snake, Itachi noted. Kisame raised one eyebrow and his hand itched near Samehada's hilt

Itachi simply got up and taking the book he had been reading before he had taken an interest in sharpening his sword motioned to Kisame to follow to the small room labeled as the library and with one last glance back at the busy Orochimaru his upper lip curled and his shadowed eyes narrowed "freak…"

Itachi had been reading lately, mostly about snakes which wasn't unusual seeing as he was living with one, he had also taken a vesting interest in the news of the outside world which another of the Akatsuki with particularly unique talents for gathering information unseen reported weekly…it seemed that a small band of mere children were making a stir in other villages, displaying unusual marks upon their bodies and having large amounts of powerful abilities.

This Itachi would usually shrug off seeing as how by the reports he could skewer these children like mere mosquito's if he wished it…no something else caught his eye…these children as soon as they had grown to a certain age would simply vanish without a trace…vanish.

Kisame had stood there for at least ten minutes and watched Itachi stare at the book in his hand until he couldn't take it any longer " um…Itachi?" Itachi slowly raised his hand and brushing a hand through his hair so violently it slid the band from his hair and parted his collar causing a wave of ebony hair to spill around his shoulders, he turned on his heel and raised red eyes to Kisame's own, his lips moved " don't…bother me when I'm thinking…but, I…We, don't have time for this Kisame…" he turned to leave down to his room motioning Kisame to come with him and with a deep voice he whispered " we have some research to conduct…"

Itachi stormed down the tunnel, the book of snakes still clutched tightly in his hand. Kisame slipped silently after him, and smiled quietly "sometimes" he whispered "you scare me…"

But a few minutes afterwards something in the shadows of the library moved and out of a little potted plant in the corner of the candle lit room a root slipped free of the pot, and then another until the plant growing to enormous sizes opened two leering eyes and a wide grinning mouth, it grew still and Zetsu slipped from the plant, leaving it as it was before, he withdrew his roots back into his cloak and opening his flytrapish appendage wider chuckled "oh? What have we here? A juicy little fly is about to take some bait…I want to see how this turns out" and with that he turned and languidly strolled back to the stair case from which he came.

Badger Notes

Wow, this one is really delayed on account of me having the flu for so long no fun ladies and germs, no fun at all! But all that aside…I hope you liked it!

Orochimaru's getting some bad ratings from the crowd of Akatsuki, Itachi has become interested in the news and what the hell is Zetsu up to? Freaky plant man XD

All up in the next Ch.!

Ja nae!


	15. Chapter 15: Puzzle Pieces

Ch.15

Puzzle Pieces

Orochimaru was pacing, he rarely was this upset about ONE container but since he had made it his goal to know all jitsu, which wasn't very easy as he could readily tell you. Either way he had tried to be as discrete as possible in taking missions and secretly donning new containers every few years but none of the bodies he had taken so far had enticed him as much as the boy he was living with. Orochimaru found himself staring into a mirror, his glossy hair falling over his face and curling around the collar of his Akatsuki cloak, his skin as pasty white as always...he licked his lips. "I will have you Itachi Kun...you are my dream container, power, looks and that strong heart of yours can live within me and I will relinquish in your screams.

Even as Orochimaru was plotting Itachi and Kisame were down near the leader's room in a hollow space used for reading, a single table, a stack of books and a lamp was all they had, yet it was enough. They were doing their homework, and frankly finding some things they really didn't exactly like. Itachi, usually calm, collected and silent had shed his poker face for a look of hungry curiosity, his eyes scanned the page of a newspaper clipping from the village of the rain. "Look at his Kisame..." Itachi moved a black painted fingernail and tapped it upon a specific portion of the text. Kisame leaned over from the other side of the table and set his beady eyes upon it "it says that the child that vanished there last month on the twenty fourth was the only existing member of his family with a rare blood line limit that made his chakra act as a second skin, basically it hardened his flesh." Kisame grimaced, "like a bloody suit of armour eh? So what's this have to do with our snaky bastard?"

Itachi turned his head, a slight smile on his face "do you remember where Orochimaru's last mission was?" Kisame was about to speak and then a blank expression donned on his blue face, which would have been green at this thought "he went to the village of the rain to scout any remaining members of the rain swordsman..." his voice fell. Itachi looked back to the text " exactly...and here it says that he had vanished with a strange man and hasn't been seen since...and do you recall when that was Kisame?" a slight purr seeped into Itachi's voice.

Kisame, a black shadow over his eyes allowed himself a rather sharky smile "exactly around the twenty fourth."

Itachi shrugged and keeping his voice down spoke to him again "just as well...do you remember in the training hall the guy from the snow threw that kunai at him right?"

Kisame didn't exactly catch on quickly, Itachi rolled his eyes and explained " I was watching, Orochimaru couldn't have had enough time not to block it, I saw it hit him Kisame, the spirit power around the guy was so dense it made even my hand twitch for a weapon...my point...he's got his talent."

Itachi held up a stack of papers, straightened them and tucked them under his arm, getting up and pushing his chair back. Kisame did the same looking down at him " so what now? we have a lot of proof that he's the guy doing all this but what is he doing with these people?"

Itachi shook his head "I don't know for sure but i have a pretty good idea Kisame, and it would make you pretty green in the gills to hear it."

Kisame glared down at him " hey, hey! 'nough with the shark jokes, what do you mean?"

Itachi stood at the doorway, the candle light from the hallway playing on his face "my theory is Orochimaru can steal bloodline limits, I don't know how but somehow he can absorb the people and use them...and from these reports he only goes after people with rare blood line limits."

Kisame was indeed rather disgusted" that..." he shut up a minute and then coldly and violently the puzzle pieces came together, he looked down surprisingly at the solemn looking Itachi" you don't mean that that's the reason he has been..." Itachi frowned as he was sure Kisame didn't have the stomach for such things, but then remembered who he was thinking about, Kisame could take care of himself. "Yeah..." Itachi hesitated for a minute and then sighed "the reason he's been following me around is he wants my bloodline limit..."

Kisame grimaced and came out into the hallway, his hand itching for his sword " i have half a mind to-"

"Kisame" He winced at Itachi's cold tone.

"We can't have him knowing that WE know about him...got it? Even people in the Akatsuki have rules, we cannot fight one another and we are all here for a cause. We have been ostracised from our own people and we haven't the gull to go back and redeem ourselves."

Kisame made a sort of growling noise deep in his throat "so he's going after you because of your blood line limit, the sharingan, and because you killed the rest of your family you are the only one left, it all makes sense."

They had started walking down the hallway a minute later, Kisame was a little surprised because after he had mentioned his sin Itachi had fallen quiet, his eyes turned in to his soul. Kisame too often reminisced upon what he had done to be exiled from his village and become an S class in the little red book of law but...Itachi was strange about his, some were prideful about what they had done, some regretted it to a certain measure and others simply didn't talk about it...Itachi was one of those, then again, who knew what went on in that man's head.

As they were walking a strange sensation crawled upon both of their skins, they both halted, so close to the leaders room who would dare mess with two of the most powerful in the Akatsuki?

Itachi released his sharingan and bent his knees, Kisame gripped Samehada's hilt firmer.

A chuckle split the tunnel, a rather raspy one like autumn leaves being disturbed, Itachi raised an eyebrow and Kisame was beside himself with anger.

"_Well, well…seems some friends of mine have some juicy information that I don't know…mind filling me in?"_

Itachi relaxed enough to not look like he would stab anyone soon and looked over at Kisame who looked rather like he was turning from a shark to chameleon, seeing as he kept on turning strange colors, for now he was rather like a cherry, red in anger.

"Zetsu" Kisame rumbled "you nasty little spy, where were you hanging around you friggen sprout?" The man materialized, or rather, grew from the ground a few feet before them and bowed low, his white leery smile quite a bit wider "why…under you of course."

Itachi made a note to hide some weed killer in one of his many hidden pockets in his cloak.

Kisame stepped in front of Itachi and looked over the collar of his cloak "if you don't keep that mouth shut about what you just heard you won't live long enough to bloom you damn weed."

Zetsu's smile died off "now why would you say something like that? Horribly mean of you ya know…either way…what's in it for me? I wouldn't DREAM of telling snaky, we have enough animals around here, he eyed Kisame "no offence, but I have no love for that man either and personally I would like to use the guy as fertilizer."

Itachi looked over the collar of his cloak and then resting his right hand against Kisame's shoulder raised his other to a rather confused looking Zetsu " we haven't really gotten to know each other but I think that working together would be…wise for you."

Zetsu shivered, his flytrapish shoulders quivered and twitched, this man was dangerous and between crossing Orochimaru and him he would pick the snake any day, he unveiled a hand from his cloak and took Itachi's. "Very well."

Badger Notes:

GASP! A chapter! (An EXTRA long one evil grin) Thank you everyone for being patient for the time I've been away, but now I'm back and wrapping up the expulsion of Orochimaru!

What is the leader doing through all this you wonder? You'll find out.

And Yeah, Zetsu is scared of Itachi as any sane ninja would be…but is he that trustworthy? And what of the rest of the Akatsuki?

Orochimaru doesn't plan to go down and let his secret out that easily folks!

Next chapter will surly come a lot faster than this one did!

Review please!

Ja nae!


	16. Ch 16: Akatsuki at the Hotsprings

Badger:

Ok change of plans, your chapter is being postponed! (I have been WAY too busy for my own good) Oh NO!

So instead I have planned a filler chapter for you with a THEME no less XD

Orochimaru: YESSSSSS…more time to plot!

Itachi: I swear I am going to barbecue you, you bastard.

Orochimaru: Ooohhh, temper, TEMPER...that's what I like about you.

Itachi: shudder

Kisame: Can I make Sashimi out of him?

Zetsu: Ahem….I'll take two plates of barbequed snake, a side of weasel and some shark steak please!

Oro , Itachi & Kisame: …..**KILL.**

Zetsu: Whaaaaat? What did I say?

Badger: OK…anyway the theme is (looks at a scrap of paper on her messy desk)…….(snort) do I seriously have to write this? How disturbing…

Oh, I forgot to mention I have a co host this time around, Meet Rain!

Though she's not a writer like I am she is a best friend and a great reader of fan fictions…

Rain: yes thank you…and yes Badger….you HAVE to write that (evil grin of doom)

Badger: (Shudder) fine, fine, I'll do it just for YOUR sake…poor Itachi… (Turns)

The theme ladies and germs….how many of our Akatsuki members are really Gay?

(Turns) WHAT is wrong with you little girl?

Rain: I can't help it! (Runs from the embarrassed writer) Eeeeek!

The results are in from my poll and here it is 5-4-3-2-1 go!

Chapter 1/2

Akatsuki at the Hot Springs

The group had assembled once again, Itachi, Kisame, Zetsu, Sasori, Deidara, Orochimaru and the two others, one strangely calm guy from the cloud and his friend as fidgety one from lightening. The leader, his eyes as red hot as usual stood up from his chair to greet the group when they arrived in his chamber, a sadistic smile on his shadowed face "ahh, its lovely to see you all in good health, you have all done splendid jobs of your missions in finding the great animals…I'm very pleased to have located some of them and I know you have all worked hard."

Everyone in the room groaned slightly in agreement, Itachi rolled his eyes; he and Kisame had indeed had their fill of missions and needed a much deserved rest.

A deep grumbling sound interrupted the leader's next speech and the burning eyes rested on the source, Zetsu blushed as much as a plant man can blush and rested a hand upon his stomach " I'm sorry sir, that last mission didn't go over so well…" The leader arched a shadowy eyebrow and Zetsu smiled slyly "the guy I was hired to kill isn't digesting properly." The leader rolled his eyes and the rest of them scooted away from the weirdo, Itachi fingered his weed killer. The leader grumped for a minute and looked over his brood of cloaked nin "and because your working so hard on your missions…I decided to give you a vacation" Everyone looked up "HUH?"

He smiled deviously "yes, were all going to my personal hot springs in the village of the mist just down the mountain." Kisame squirmed and the leader caught his eye "don't take me for a fool, no one knows of these springs, not even your pitiful ex comrades"

Kisame let out a sigh of relief and Itachi poked him in the ribs in annoyance.

Suddenly from across the room a rather slick looking man spoke up from his area in the back of the group "and when ARE you taking us sir?"

Itachi looked and arched an eyebrow speaking to Kisame under his breath "I didn't know Hidan had gotten back from his mission so soon."

Kisame shrugged his big shoulders " all I heard was he got a scolding for not being able to capture the two tails." Itachi gazed at Hidan a bit; the man was smiling quite comfortably, his silvery blonde hair slicked back on his head, and a pair of green eyes to match his slick mood.

"So that's Hidan."

Kisame nodded a little " yeah and the one trying to hide over there in the shadows behind him is Kakuzu, I don't much like the guy though...he has weird eyes and he smells funny."

Itachi rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the leader " everything smells funny to you Kisame, you're a shark...and don't talk about strange eyes to ME partner."

The leader after coughing a bit to get attention centered on him once again raised a hand " anyway, before Hidan interrupted me I was about to say...get your bathing suits on kids were leaving in twenty..." his hand went down " go!" and the room was empty.

An hour and a half later they had made it to the springs the leader had mentioned before after some guiding of the terrain by Kisame and directions by the leader. Itachi had finished rubbing on sunscreen to his sensitive skin and was now hiding in Kisame's shadow away from Orochimaru's gaze who was conveniently across the way licking his lips with that freaky tongue of his. Kisame shook his head and looked down and grinned " ah geez, so even without our official cloaks we have official swim trunks? This is hilarious."

Itachi looked down at his fitted black trunks with the swirling red clouds embroidered on them " yup...I guess so " he reached up and with a flick of his wrist loosed the tie in his hair and let a cascade of black hair fall over his shoulders, he looked over his shoulder and sighed " my hairs getting a little long."

Steam rolled over the beautifully lush plane before them and little walls covered in a thin layer of lei chi separated the springs from one another complete with little gates to go in and out of each.

The leader who was no where to be found called out from the shadows "well enjoy boys" he purred in his velvet voice "be back in few for ya, don't get TOO carried away……."

Orochimaru arched a brow and smiled deviously "was it just me or did he say 'without me' in the end there?"

Hidan crowed with laughter and slapped Orochimaru one on the back "you're a funny one…now lets get goin!" then without another word he made a cannonball into the nearest one too him. Itachi was a little more careful and delicate with these things… (He may be a man with the blood of all (but one) of his clan on his hands but he keeps good hygiene!)

He took a towel and a head cloth and sank into a secluded little pool a little more shadowed than the rest and sighed in relief as he let some of the tension that he had built up so he wouldn't be killed "this feels nice…I'm actually kind of glad I came…now I can finally think about some things by my self."

No sooner had he started thinking about how his little brother was faring where he had abandoned him to that filthy village then something snapped him from his blood soaked day dreams, he opened his ebony eyes and peered through the mist. Using his Sharingan constantly put a strain on his eyes and thus he seemed to age further than he should at his age but he wasn't blind enough to not notice….the bubbles coming from the middle of the spring. After noticing this second later something brushed up against his right leg and he looked as if he had been carved of marble, all color had gone from his flesh and his eyes were burning red.

Itachi wasn't one for rash decisions and attacking anything that moved, however when certain things are at stake…desperate measures must be taken. "GOD DAMNIT ZETSU!" he stood up quickly kicking a wave of water from the bottom and causing a current in the little pool strong enough to boot his intruder out. Zetsu, quite a sight clad in his swim trunks with his green hair and his…flytrapish appendage flourishing from his shoulders, Zetsu, quite surprised by his sudden appearance out of the water drew his tentacle vines back into his pale skinned body. Itachi eyed him viciously and put his hand behind his back. "What do you want?" he asked simply with as much warmth in his voice as an icicle. Zetsu smiled a saw toothed smile " oh, I'm truly sorry for intruding on your bath, however I really couldn't help myself when you look so tasty…oh and if it is any condolence to you…" he licked his lips and started to chuckle " you have a VERY nice looking-"

He never got past that…Itachi gave a very unrefined growl of rage and turned on the plant man with a can of extra strength weed killer in his hand, Zetsu froze " wa…wait a minute Itachi…I didn't mean it"……"DIE!"

The leader, in all of his shadowy glory had gotten out of the bath a while ago and had done up his hair again lest anyone see him. Though he had seen everyone else relaxing and making crude jokes at each other, he hadn't spotted Itachi or Zetsu. He raised a shadowy eyebrow at the faint smell of something quite acrid and stood there a minute trying to figure out what it was until it hit him…quite literally. He barely had enough time to catch Zetsu's unconscious form before his weight bowled him over. He raised a shadowy eyebrow and glanced down at the sickly and deathly still man in his arms, his green complexion was now ten other shades of sickly green yellow, which in his case usually wasn't good. The leader looked up to see a very aggravated Itachi slip from his pool and grab a spare towel on the rocks. Itachi towelling himself off blinked and noticed him, wrinkled his nose and waved toward him "oh, sorry about that sir…you might want to get him some medical attention soon…I think he's sick…" a smile flitted over his lips " and if he lives…tell him I hate him."

Itachi clamoured his way to another spring farther away from his old one so he would finally have some peace for once and start thinking over how he would deal with Orochimaru. Not ten minutes later his cheeks were a little red and he had started to come up with several different ideas to take down the menace and expose him for the jitsu stealer he was, but none were that great all together. He sighed and opened his eyes and found himself looking into two very strange beady ones.

If it wasn't for his nerves of steel (yeah right…) he would have killed the thing with his bare hands just from pure fright…but he blinked slowly and exhaled sharply "what do you want Sasori?"

Sasori looked at him, or rather his puppet body did, not many knew about Sasori but with his eyes he could tell quite easily what the boy was. His long scorpion looking tail raised a few inches and one hand smoothed back his hair " Oh, yes...I heard Zetsu was bothering you so i came to check if you were...ok" Itachi raised an eyebrow..." I didn't know you were so keen at lying Sasori, it doesn't become you." If Sasori could have winced he would have, " indeed...but i should warn you...with your...looks most of the guys have other opinions of you."

Itachi was BEYOND angry now, " wh-what..." he sputtered a bit and then regaining his composure glanced down at the sand puppet " what do you mean?" a shift in the cloth that covered the puppets mouth indicated a smirk " oh...I guess you'll figure it out yourself...but I'm no thread, I'm just a messenger."

Itachi wasn't waiting for what that meant and started off in the direction of the house that had their cloths. "I am NOT staying for this whacked out vacation, this is hell...ive just learned a few things i did NOT want to know."

Now, USUALLY he would have been alert, more careful...but in his particular mood he didn't notice the trap beneath his feet until it sprang, a rabbit trap, the kind that gets you by the ankle and hoists you up into a tree? Yep...that.

All a manner of cuss words and vile threats were heard then and bushes erupted, Itachi looked down, his dark eyes burning dark red and starting to shift dangerously " I should have KNOWN you guys would pull some shit like this!" he growled angrily destroying the cold blooded silent type reputation he had.

Below him stood Orochimaru, Hidan, Deidara, and the weird guy from the Mist. His nose wrinkled at their sneers.

"Well" they all crowed, it seems we've caught a weasel! What should we DO with him boys?"

He was getting dizzy hanging upside down but he knew enough to figure it was Orochimaru's slimy voice he was hearing. He wasn't going to give them the time of day "let me down you bastards and I WONT kill you all."

He heard laughing and he narrowed his eyes, his lips setting a tight line.

" Well" Hidan's voice " I could always make a voodoo doll of him and silence him, even the leader wont know...he's his pride and joy too...I think I want a go at him."

THAT...was when all hell broke loose...well at least a little of it. Itachi snapped his head directly down to look at the lot of them, Kisame came out of the brush to find the scene, already growling as only he could do and two very powerful jitsu's slammed into all four of the men.

Moments later...

Kisame was walking along side a very grumpy Itachi, tugging a cart behind him, the leader in all his shadowneyness was sitting upon a pile of unconscious bodies and beside him sat Kuzuku and Sasori both chuckling to each other.

The whole lot of the mischief makers was burned crispy and sopping wet all at the same time.

The leaders voice, dark but highly amused called from the cart "so boys...did you have a good vacation?" Itachi glanced back at him and a smile lit his lips "of course."

Badger Notes:

Right O!

...ok that was stupid but HEY, I'ts nice to see all of you again...well...i cant really but thank you for reading! As i said before i have been rather busy with work and school all rolled up into one DX

It's horrid, but i promise to start writing again and try and finish this story! i need constant looking after and support from my readers so remember, every comment counts!

Again thank you for reading and have a wonderful day!


	17. Ch 17: The Sickness

Ch. 16

The Sickness

Though many had thought it strange before, Orochimaru had been very sick for the past few weeks after Itachi and Kisame had discovered his secret, he kept to himself in his room and whenever anyone went to ask anything of him a great deal of hissing and spitting would send them skittering away. Either he was having a really bad flu bug…or something was up. The leader had actually done something similar and announced that he would be absent for a few weeks, he was on some sort of mission concerning his "brother."

Itachi walked silently through the tunnels and then opened the door at the end of it, shielding his eyes from the bright light as he looked out. The "lair" as most of them put it was a little more extravagant than they gave it credit really, for even if it extended further into the hills it always ended up right back here, in the world of pipes and wind.

Itachi personally wasn't that much of a mist fan but he tried to keep a cool head…and just started layering his spare Akatsuki cloaks.

Kisame, ever behind him glimpsed over the collar of his cloak and grinned at him "so, you suppose ol' snake breath will be surprised if we just decide to visit him today?"

Itachi didn't turn to glare but rather just extended his evil aura so that even Kisame took a few good steps back. " You fool" Itachi said in a sullen tone " as if you haven't heard all the stuff he's been saying to the people that have gone there already, we have to be precise about this and NOT get ourselves killed."

Itachi frowned "if we are going to unmask him and show what he really is we need to come up with a plan Kisame" he glared over his cloak collar, his eyes like bits of onyx.

Kisame winced and looked away, his little beady eyes being no sort of match to the weasels, "ok…so you say that, but do you have a plan then?" Itachi nodded and turned, looking back over the scenery and after a few minutes a smile came to his cold lips, an eerie, killer sort of smile, like how a predator smiles knowing he has cornered his prey. Kisame thought the guy should have a sticker on him saying "if I'm smiling, THAT should scare you" or something of that nature, the man was too unpredictable to go around scaring people with his pretty face.

Itachi got up and exhaling, as if he thought this were all a big hassle he began walking back down into the lair and began elaborating on his plan to storm the snake hole.

The plan, though a lot simpler than first implied included their new friend in a big part of it, they were really counting on Orochimaru being the sentimental type and at least having the courtesy to have a weed or something growing in that dank room of his. They went back to their book hole and summoned Zetsu to them, who was all too happy to be there to help. "Soooo, you finally realized you needed my help in all this eh? Well?" he crossed his green skinned arms and his little eyes narrowed "what is it I'm going to be doing here?" Itachi and Kisame looked up at him rather dully "spying"

As he had mentioned before, Zetsu was no fan of the Snake and really didn't want him alive at all but spying on the man was sort of dangerous to himself, he looked out through his flytrapish appendages and blinked as his eyes met those of a very cold looking Itachi, he made the decision then of who was scarier and nodded, a bead of sweat dripping down his face "ah, yes spying is my specialty, so what am I looking for besides a really, really sick snake?"

Itachi looked at Kisame then down at his stack of evidence proving Orochimaru a rather odd individual "anything…unusual" he looked back at him and sighed "we need you to find out what he's up to in there so we can decide what to do next."

Kisame looked up, smelling the fear rolling off Zetsu in waves. He smirked with all his sharp teeth and straightened up "an' if you chicken out and run off instead…I'll cut ya to ribbons and feed you to the fishes"

Zetsu gave HIM a dirty look, bowed to Itachi and then gave his own smirk back at the two and in his raspy leafy voice he chuckled "indeed, I shall report to you anything I find that is…unusual, farewell" he closed his eyes and suddenly melted very oddly into a patch of weeds in the cracks of the floor and was gone. Itachi, being the patient sort went back to looking over his papers and Kisame, being a little more hostile went over (carefully) to the patch of weeds and smooshed them flat with one foot and spit " Tch, wot a poser."

Zetsu slid through rock matter and through the roots of several types of indistinguishable plants until he knew he was right under Orochimaru's room, he could FEEL the weird chi that rolled off the guy in disgusting slimy waves. "Yech…if I didn't have a choice in the matter I wouldn't put a vine anywhere NEAR this place!" but apparently there WAS something planted there in his room, Mission impossible started he melted with the roots of the said plant and moved upward to get a better view.

What he found shocked him almost enough to blow his cover from the strange thorny plant that inhabited Orochimaru's room. He looked around using his senses as a plant. It was muggy in the room, unbearably hot and stuffy, two candles burned upon a mahogany desk on the far side of the rectangular room. Though it was hard to see, artefacts covered the desk, skulls of different types and colors, exploding notes, various nasty looking apparitions in test tubes and several bottles of unknown vicious liquids.

He almost didn't think that Orochimaru was in there until he swivelled one of the thin leaves of his plant host and saw HIM. Or at least he THOUGHT it was his chakra he felt, because instead of his usual pasty looking self there was a young man sitting in a large chair in the left far corner of the room, with sandy blonde hair, slightly tanned skin and a muscular build, a tasty looking tidbit to be sure…but what REALLY caught his eye was tracings along the mans skin, no…not tracings, tattoos.

And not just ANY tattoos…Rain Village tattoos, only awarded to the higest rank ninja in the AmeKage's army. This was the man that had been missing months before hand, taken by Orochimaru. He started to look closer now, it was the man but a few things about him were leaking the snakes true nature, the mans face save for his eyes and his hands were wrapped in cloth bandages, now his EYES were what really did it, molten gold, menacing and slitted like a cats. Orochimaru's eyes.

Zetsu had probably seen enough to fill a horror story but just as he was leaving something sent a shiver up his spine and even daunted him enough to shrivel a few of the leaves. Orochimaru was laughing, a raspy dark sort of laugh behind his bandages, and his golden eyes were boring in to the poor plant, his words were soft but he was able to get to them as he fled.

"Yessss, go you seedling…tell him all you have sssseeeen, I want him and I need him, this body is already beginning to rot…Itachi? Where is Itachi Kun?"

(Yeek)

Zetsu needed no further prodding, he was OUTTA there!!

He came back to where Itachi and Kisame waited, all of that had happened in a little less than twenty minutes but it felt like it had been hours and as soon as Zetsu slunk out of the offending weed from before Itachi knew clearly that something had frightened the guy…and he knew not a lot of things could frighten a giant half human carnivorous plant…besides weed killer and him of course. After much shaking Zetsu relayed all he saw and heard at the end, Itachi looked down, an expressionless mask over his face, and with a voice to go with it he spoke to both of them at once "you are good to have helped me, but I do this alone, I greatly dislike this man who among ninja has a despicable talent, I can not let ANY but …me have the Sharingan."

And leaving a smug looking Kisame and a wheedling Zetsu behind he vanished and reappeared at Orochimaru's door, not bothering to knock or be a good neighbour he set his cold hand upon the door handle, glared at it, dismembered the door locks and exploding notes without so much as a blink and slowly, he opened the door.

Badger Notes

LE GASP!!

(wow!) I'm Soooo sorry I haven't gotten this in sooner (really busy…seriously)

Itachi: -- shut up, you know you were just slacking off.

Badge: OO I was NOT!!...I was…researching : 3

Itachi: Suuuure Badge, Suuuuure.

Anyway, SUSPENSE!! The great fight between Itachi and Orochimaru!! Who will win!?

What will the leader have to say about it!?...and will Zetsu ever grow a spine? Or injest one? Eewwwwww. Stay tuned for the LAST CHAPTER!!

Whoot!!


End file.
